The CFM Shadow is a two-seat ultralight class (called microlight in the UK) with a pod and boom design. They were built as a kit or by Cook Flying Machines (CFM). Nearly 400 aircraft were built from the early 1980’s through the early 2000’s. All models of the Shadow were powered either by a Rotax two cylinder, two-stroke engine which was mounted behind the fuselage on an exposed framework. The earliest versions were powered by 40hp Rotax 447 and later versions were powered by 65hp Rotax 582’s or 80hp Rotax 912’s. This version of the aircraft is a model D-D (the second D for dual-control), and is powered by the Rotax 582. The Shadow was used and flown by David Cook (owner of CFM and aircraft designer) as a camera platform to film the “dragon eye” viewpoint footage for the movie Dragonheart in 1996. The Shadow has made flights from the UK-Australia, and from the UK-Beijing. Mr. Cook also, famously, flew a Shadow Streak to an altitude of 27,066’ in 1990.
